Mock Election Gives Students a Voice

Posted by sde on Wed, 09/12/2012 - 1:57pm

The My Voice™ National Student Mock Election recently opened "voter registration" for students participating in the program.

The My Voice™ National Student Mock Election gives students across the country the opportunity to cast their votes for candidates in both the federal and state elections, and to talk about the issues they care about this fall and beyond.

This program, a digital initiative of the Pearson Foundation, builds on the 30-year history of the National Student/Parent Mock Election and My Voice. More than 50 million young voters have participated while learning about the importance of using their own voice to share their perspectives on important issues. National student voting begins on October 25, 2012, and culminates on the National Mock Election day, November 1, in advance of the nation’s election.

For the first time this year, the National Student Mock Election will take place entirely online, as will student polling on national topics, social issues, education, and local communities. Students, teachers, and parents are encouraged to register their schools to take part at nationalmockelection.org.

More than 60 national civic, educational, and business organizations serve as cooperating organizations and partners. In 2012, along with the Pearson Foundation, partners include: American Association of School Administrators, Barquin International, BrainPOP, Council of the Great City Schools, Don’t Forget Ed, National Association of Broadcasters Education Foundation, National Association of Elementary School Principals, National Association of Secondary School Principals, National Association of Secretaries of State, National Association of Student Councils, National Council for the Social Studies, National School Boards Association, NIE Institute, Rand McNally, SAGE, and USA Today.

The YMCA of Greater Oklahoma City has registered all of its 15 after-school program sites to participate in the National Mock Election, and encourage educators across Oklahoma to do the same for their classrooms.

Teachers are encouraged to use the free materials and curriculum developed for the program to create thoughtful lessons leading up to and around the upcoming election of the president, U.S. senators and representatives, and state governors.

“Our goal is to help our country’s young people understand what ‘government of the people, by the people, and for the people’ really means,” said National Student/Parent Mock Election President Gloria Kirshner. “It is never too early to start empowering our future leaders to be involved and share their opinions about the issues that matter most.”

The National Student Mock Election was co-founded by Edward Stanley and Gloria Kirshner in 1980, as the National Student/Parent Mock Election.